“Riyaz Ahmad originally belongs to Khansahib area in Badgam district. An FIR was registered in addition to the departmental inquiry,” he added.

This was the second incident in 2016, earlier on January 16, a cop decamped with four rifles from the residence of a top-ranking police officer in south Kashmir.

Shakoor Ahmad, who was posted as Personal Security Officer (PSO) to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) and SDPO Bijbehara Irshad Ahmad Bhat in Bijbehara area of Anantnag district, decamped with the rifles.

Sources believe that Ahmad might have joined militants like his predecessor Naseer Pandith who decamped with his service rifle while he was posted on guard at then Works Minister Altaf Bukhari’s residence in Sheikhbagh area of Srinagar in March 2015.